Raiders re-sign Lechler
Raiders.com is reporting the Raiders have re-signed All-Pro punter Shane Lechler to a four-year contract, dubbed “the greatest ever awarded to a punter in the history of the National Football League.”
That’s only fair, as Lechler’s career average of 46.8 yards a punt makes him the greatest punter in the history of the NFL, even exceeding those of should-be-Hall-of-Famer Ray Guy.
Lechler, a fifth-round draft pick in 2000, was feared to be headed out of Oakland after some comments suggested frustration with the team’s recent struggles.
However, Al Davis seemed likely to break the bank to keep one of his best draft picks ever, and apparently did just that.
Lechler, a four-time Pro Bowler, led the AFC in gross punting average last season, and led the entire NFL in the more important net average. He and kicker Sebastian Janikowski, chosen in the first round the same year, are among the mainstays of the special-teams units that thrived in 2008, and the longest-serving Raiders on the roster.
